NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tigers opened the Big Blue Intercollegiate with their best round of the season and found themselves in fourth, six shots off the lead. The second round was not as kind to Tennessee State, despite shooting the second best round of the season. When the day ended, TSU (291-301=592) is in ninth out of 14 and are 11 strokes out of a top five finish.

The morning session was played under windy conditions as temperatures reached 75 degrees later in the day at the Par-72, 7,158-yard President’s Reserve Course at the Hermitage Golf Club. UT Martin holds the lead after day one with a 10-under, 566.

Senior Codie Welborn (70-79=149) equaled his career best with a 2-under, 70 during the first round. The score matched his performance as a sophomore at the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate in October, 2011.

On the par-4, 11th, Welborn hit driver off the tee box to the middle of the fairway, setting up 5-iron to six feet of the pin for birdie. The Murfreesboro native continued strong play as he drained a lengthy putt on the par-5, 14th to save par. The round heated back up as he scored three consecutive birdies on 17, 18, and one.

Dallas Hill and Shane Sampair posted the second best score for the Tigers during the first 18. Sampair’s did not count in the Tigers scoring on the day due to being classified as an individual for the tournament.

Welborn and Hill were joined by James Stepp and Matt Campbell to post the 3-over, 291 during the morning session. Stepp (74-76=150) and Campbell each shot a 2-over, 74. In the afternoon, Andrew Warner (75-73=148) led Hill, Stepp and Campbell in the scoring for the Tigers.

Hill (73-75=148) needed just 25 putts through the first 18 holes, as he hit seven fairways and eight greens in regulation. The junior carded the lone eagle of the day for TSU. Hill hit a 3-wood from the middle of the fairway to seven feet of the pin setting up the eagle putt. Hill had continued success as he recorded a birdie on the par-4, 1st, by chipping in from the right side of the green.

During the second round, Hill used an up-and-down to save par on 11 after finding a pair of bunkers. Hill hit into a bunker off the tee box on 11, before his second shot landed in the green side bunker. On 14, the Nashville product hit into a hazard off the tee and had to punch out to the fairway. Hill used a 3-wood up to the green and converted an up-and-down to save par. Hill capped the day by reaching the green in two on 18 and two putted for birdie.

On the day, Sampair (73-80=153) hit 15 fairways, 17 greens and 55 putts. The first round was highlighted by birdie on 14. The junior used a 60-degree wedge from 92-yards out to three feet of the hole to set up a tap in putt. During the second round, Sampair scored another birdie as he drained a 20-foot, left to right putt.

Campbell (74-77=151) notched three birdies during the morning session and added another during the afternoon.

The final round will begin with a shotgun start 8:00am on Tuesday Morning.